Hope/Kawkawa Lake – OK, New Year’s Day and Polar Bear Swims. It is tradition! A right of passage! A show of total insanity!
COVID put the kibosh on such festivities over the past few years, BUT NOT THIS YEAR!
Well over 110+ people braved the +3 temperatures on the dock side of Kawkawa Lake (and another 25 or so went into the water).
A shout out to the Hope Lions for getting behind this, providing hot coffee and cocoa.
Organizer Brian McKinney lost his bullhorn after Dark Time News Reporter Katie Frecon pushed him into the thrusting water and ice.
Of all things and people, some Aussie visitors, who had just learned of the swim, stripped down and jumped in and retrieved the now frozen and drenched bullhorn.
More pictures can be found on FVN’s Twitter and Facebook pages.